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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23936908">Not As It Seems XXXII</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel'>eliniel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wondrous Tails 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XIV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fear, Fluff and Angst, fear of spiders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:14:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23936908</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When the alchemy guild sends the Warrior of Light a prototype potion for her to use, things go wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Wondrous Tails 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not As It Seems XXXII</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Wondrous Tails: Biggest Fear/Argument</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> is that?” Emet-Selch asked, his eyes on the prototype in my hand. I examined it as I stepped over the threshold and into the house. I tilted my head, quickly scanning the separate piece of paper I held in my other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like something one of the guilds created,” I explained, turning the paper over. “Sometimes they create alchemic potions with enchantments for me to try. To see if they would be helpful out in the field.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Ascian stood from his seat in front of the fireplace and began walking towards me. I shut the front door with my elbow, eyes still scanning the writing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These look like instructions.” Finally, I looked up to find his gaze locked onto the bottle in my hand, one brow raised. “They usually give it to me in person, though. Odd that they would leave it on my doorstep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hummed, easily lifting the small pamphlet from my hand. I slipped my pack off of my shoulder and set it into the chair by the door before turning the potion over in my hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does it say what the effect is supposed to be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miniature,” he recited. “It seems this particular tincture is supposed to make your enemies shrink for a short period of time. I’d venture a guess and say that t would likely be useful to you...</span>
  <em>
    <span>if</span>
  </em>
  <span> it worked.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we try it on you?” I teased with a coy grin. He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will not be coming anywhere near me with that concoction,” he stated with a small cringe as his gaze drooped to the bottle once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?” I asked, playfully, swinging it between my fingers as I stalked up to him. “And why not?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The answer is simple,” he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. “You will not achieve the effects you hope to.” I halted and huffed an incredulous laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re wrong,” I shot at him. “The guilds are always sure to provide me with potions and spells they have already tested in their labs and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> about alchemy, hero?” I pursed my lips, my mood souring quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you would just use a strange potion left on your doorstep without knowing the first thing about what it contains? How can you be </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> it even came from the organization in question and not by someone who wishes to do you harm? You said yourself that they usually drop it </span>
  <em>
    <span>right into your hand</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t, Warrior of Light.” I bristled at his tone of voice, as if he was talking down to me. As if I was a child. “And here I thought you had more </span>
  <em>
    <span>sense</span>
  </em>
  <span> than that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held the paper up in front of me, pointing to a list of ingredients and tests that had been run. I blinked at its sudden closeness and retreated back a few ilms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The science is wrong. The ingredients used, the magic they infused-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, and you are the expert, are you?” His eyes narrowed at me and he opened his mouth to respond, but I held my hand up instead. “Yes, yes. You’re thousands upon thousands of years old. I understand.” I rolled my eyes and pulled the cork out of the glass with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be fine,” I insisted in an attempt to assuage his concerns. “The guilds would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> send me something </span>
  <em>
    <span>dangerous.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Look, I’ll use it on one of the chairs instead if it’ll make you feel better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clenched his jaw in frustration, nostrils flaring with annoyance as I continued to disregard his words and move towards my dining table. I tipped the potion over, coating one of the wooden chairs with it, then took a step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few tense, quiet moments, Emet-Selch loosed a deep breath and I turned back to face him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re lucky.” I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You overreacted.” He tilted his head, raising a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> overreacted?” he scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, my dear hero, I believe my reaction was warranted. Yours, however, could use some work when it comes to your </span>
  <em>
    <span>safety</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I...think…” I waved one hand in dismissal, then placed them on my hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do have </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> sense of self-preservation, I’ll have you know,” I began, though he refused to look at me, insisting instead that he focus on something over my shoulder. “The paper bore the guildmaster’s signature and the crest etched into the bottom of the bottle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And while I do admit that the potion did not have the desired effect,” I continued. “I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hardly</span>
  </em>
  <span> put in harm’s way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, hero-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not finished,” I interjected. He met my gaze in surprise for a moment before returning it to whatever it was that he was looking at behind me, hesitation clear in his expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really think-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even though I am not a student of the alchemic arts,” I continued, making sure to talk over him. “I have known Severain for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> purposefully give me something that would put my life in-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hero.” This time the urgent, insistent tone of his voice made me pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I frowned up at him as he continued staring just past me, his eyes following something that was moving-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, I turned to find a giant spider scurrying across the floors. My eyes widened as horror filled me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe,” the Ascian started. “Your potion had the </span>
  <em>
    <span>opposite</span>
  </em>
  <span> effect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stumbled backwards in panic and bumped into the Ascian, my eyes never leaving the beast in front of me. I felt his hand grip my waist to steady me, but I struggled against his hold, tripping on my own feet as I twisted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hero, stop-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I slipped from his fingers and fell onto the floor on my backside, nearly taking him with me. Once he’d regained his balance, he knelt down next to me, a mixture of shock and concern at my actions clear on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, in Zodiark’s name, has gotten into you?” he asked, reaching for me. I smacked his arm away with one trembling hand as tears formed in my eyes and I pointed towards the spider.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get-get rid of it,” I stammered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced over his shoulder to the arachnid still running about the dining room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> should be the one to take care of it, Warrior of Light,” he sighed, turning back to me. “You’re the one who </span>
  <em>
    <span>made it</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no, I c-c-,” I tried, but my chin trembled at the mere thought of getting close to the creature and my words failed me, so I shook my head, quickly, shrinking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please,” I begged, my voice no more than a whisper as I tried as hard as I could to keep my words steady. He watched me in utter confusion for a few more moments before realization lit on his features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He huffed a loud, short laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean to tell me-” My face flushed in indignation as he stood, an amused smile spreading across his lips. “That the </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> Warrior of Light…” He held one hand up, posed to snap. “...Is afraid of a harmless spider?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Click</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The beast disappeared from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sagged in relief as he squatted down next to me once more. He lifted an arm in front of me, fingers balled into a fist. I watched, warily, as he unclenched his hand to reveal the spider sitting in his palm, though returned to its normal size. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran up my spine and I squealed, scrambling back a few fulms until my back hit the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get that away-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled at my reaction and I cringed as I watched him gently toy with the arachnid, using the fingers of his other hand to push it around the surface of his glove, unworried and at ease.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” he started, matter-of-factly. “This is nothing more than a common house spider.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I don’t care,” I whined, averting my eyes from him in embarrassment. “I don’t- Just...just take it outside.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped towards me and I tensed as he crouched in front of me once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It won’t hurt you,” he insisted, his smirk mischievous and teasing. I leaned to the side, pressing my entire, shaking body against the wall with a small whimper as he held it out to me. “See?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shook my head again as he reached for my wrist, wrenching it from my side, lifting it until my fingertips were no more than an ilm from the small creature. I struggled against him, trying to pull my arm from his grasp as a sob climbed up my throat, my eyes burning with the tears I was trying to hold back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t- </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, hero-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” I shrieked in his face, water spilling down my cheeks. He blinked, the smirk falling from his face, and I took advantage of his momentary surprise to swat his hand, the spider flying into the air before landing on the floor and scurrying into some unknown crack in the wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The both of us were silent for several seconds as I heaved unsteady breaths through my nose, attempting to slow the beat of my heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, I swallowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t...don’t do that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh hero,” he cooed, reaching to place his hand on my cheek and wipe my tears away. I jerked out of the way and he paused. “It was all in good fun.” I blinked a few times to clear my vision, clenching my jaw to keep it from trembling as I exhaled harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not for me,” I bit out, expression full of as much malice as I could muster as I pushed off of the floor. Once I was on my feet again, I roughly dried my face with my sleeve and straightened my shirt. I peered down at him for a moment as he looked up to me. I cleared my throat, averting my eyes to the staircase. “I’m going to bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brow furrowed as he looked towards the chronometer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not even-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t-” I released a sharp sigh as I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I don’t care.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he could utter another word or try to talk me out of it, I made my way up the stairs and into my bedroom. I stepped out of my boots as I tore the shirt from my back and let it drop to the floor before throwing myself onto my bed with a huff, not bothering to even remove my pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he came to bed, but to his credit he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> give me some time to stew in my anger for a long while and eventually, I was able to calm down and drift off to sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I woke to the floor creaking with his footsteps. I heard him sigh as he came to a stop next to the bed. I wasn’t facing him, but I could feel his eyes on me nonetheless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you awake, Warrior of Light?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I didn’t deign to speak and instead, curled closer to the wall, hugging my blanket tighter around me. The mattress dipped behind me, accompanied by a cold rush of air on my back as he lifted the blanket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When his arms wrapped around my waist, I tensed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you still mad at me?” he asked, softly, a hint of amusement in his tone. I clicked my tongue and began pulling away from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” I muttered. He chuckled as he refused to relent to me, sliding me back towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” he asked. I opened my mouth to respond, but I felt his lips begin to lightly trail along my shoulder and up my neck. A chill ran up my spine at the whisper of contact he gave me and I shivered. “And now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I huffed a sigh, but shifted in his arms until I was facing him and, despite the darkness of the room, I could almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> the relief on his face. One of his arms loosened from around me, sliding up my body until coming to rest on the side of my neck as he pressed his forehead to mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry, hero,” he murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nodded, letting my eyes fall shut as I laid my hand overtop of his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” I whispered, finally relaxing. He lifted his chin so his lips met mine in a slow, tender kiss before pulling away and tucking me under his chin. My arms hooked under him as I pressed my ear to his chest to listen to the beat of his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just know, Emet-Selch,” I started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” he hummed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> do that again, I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> hesitate to send you to Oblivion myself.” His chest shook with a soft laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noted, Warrior of Light,” he replied as his arms tightened around me. “Get some sleep.”</span>
</p>
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